Synthesis and characterization of sulfonated chitosan (SCS) / sulfonated polyvinyl alcohol (SPVA) blend membrane for microbial fuel cell application

Abstract

We have reported the synthesis of newly blended membranes, SPVA/SCS, using the solution-casting and solvent evaporation technique. The selection of appropriate polymers is crucial for the synthesis of polymer electrolyte membranes (PEMs). Considering factors such as film-forming ability, cost-effectiveness, ease of handling, availability, and proton conductivity, we optimized the blend of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and chitosan polymers. To enhance the proton conductivity of the blend membrane, the sulfonic group was incorporated into the polymer chain through a sulfonation process. We successfully synthesized SPVA/SCS membranes by varying the mass ratios of SPVA/SCS, specifically 90:10, 50:50, and 10:90. The thermal stability and chemical structure of the blend membrane were analyzed using Thermogravimetric and FTIR techniques. Moreover, a multicore design of microbial fuel cell was used to analyze the performance of membrane. The membrane was kept inside the cell for 48 h and the maximum voltage and current obtained was found to be 630–750 mV and 0.93–1.03 mA respectively.